Two PSIs among four held for extorting gold ornaments worth Rs7.5 lakh

Davanagere: In a serious blow to the integrity of the police force, the KTJ Nagar Police have arrested two Police Sub-Inspectors (PSIs) and two others for allegedly extorting gold worth ₹7.5 lakh from a jewelery craftsman in the early hours of Monday.

According to sources, the arrested officers were attached to the Eastern Range IGP office and were reportedly using their official identity to threaten and extort traders. The victim has been identified as Viswanath Arkasali, a jewellery maker from Karwar, who frequently sources old ornaments and gold bars from merchants in Davanagere’s Mandipete and Halepete areas.

On Sunday midnight, Viswanath collected 78 grams of gold ornaments and gold bars from several jewellery sellers and proceeded to the KSRTC bus stand to return home. He boarded a bus heading towards Hubballi, from where he intended to travel to Karwar. However, before the bus departed, the two PSIs intercepted him, claiming they needed to question him.

Pretending to be conducting an official inquiry, the officers took Viswanath into custody and brought him near the KTJ Nagar Police Station. Witnesses say the officers parked their car outside and briefly engaged in discussion with other policemen at the station, giving the impression of a legitimate procedure.

They later drove Viswanath to a secluded area, where they allegedly threatened him and forcibly took the gold he was carrying. The officers then instructed him to return to his hometown quietly, warning him not to reveal the incident. A suspicious and frightened Viswanath informed his family about the ordeal, following which he approached the KTJ Nagar Police Station on Monday night and filed a complaint.

Acting swiftly, the station police launched an investigation and detained all four accused, including the two PSIs. The suspects are now being interrogated, and the police are looking into whether they were involved in similar incidents previously. The case has sparked outrage locally, raising serious concerns about misuse of police powers and demanding strict departmental action against the accused officers.